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Oswald (Chapter)
'''Oswald is the title of the one-hundred-and-first chapter of Jun Mochizuki's Pandora Hearts. Synopsis In Oswald's memory, Lacie explained to her older brother how she'd been thinking about The Core of the Abyss and how she's had to be alone deep in the darkest depths of the Abyss. Thinking of this, Lacie voiced how such a burden must make The Core very lonely. "It's only into the Abyss... that memories of the past flow..." Both Oz and Oswald are stunned as the world around them shatters, as if it was nothing more than glass. Though Lottie calls out to Oswald, he continues to fall, remembering his conversation with Lacie about The Core mere days before Oswald's final Succession Ceremony. Oswald questioned what Lacie meant by "lonely" as she ascended The Tower. Reiterating what she'd said, Lacie explains that being alone forever must make The Core extremely lonely - yet The Core couldn't possible understand a concept such as loneliness - and even so, The Core continued searching for someone who could push past the vacant darkness to accompany her. Lacie pondered whether or not that was the true reason why Children of Ill Omen, like herself, were created in the first place. Admitting that she'd been having such thoughts lately, Lacie asked her brother if she was right to assume that she's weird for questioning such things. Thinking back, Oswald remembers how he'd remained silent instead of consoling Lacie. Oswald thought of how, to him, Lacie wasn't weird at all - and if that was the conclusion she'd come to, then without a doubt it was Lacie's truth. Sadly, Oswald laments on how he didn't do anything for Lacie. He'd had so many opportunities - he could have told Jack everything prior to his final Succession Ceremony and asked him to take Lacie and runaway - and yet he didn't act. Instead, he chose to take on his duties as Glen Baskerville rather than his duties toward Lacie as her elder brother. Even though he'd always been able to sense that something wasn't right with Jack, Oswald never distanced himself from Jack - proving that his prominent weakness has always been his dependence, and it caused the worst possible situation. Oswald then remembers Lacie's judgement. After passing judgement on Lacie for her sins against the harmony of the Abyss, Oswald had used The Black Winged Chains to summon the Chains of Condemnation, ensnaring Lacie to be dropped into the Abyss. More importantly, Oswald reviews how Lacie had said something to him prior to being dropped into the Abyss - and yet he wasn't able to discern what she'd said to him. Oswald wouldn't have cared if Lacie's voice was filled with resentment and hate, he still would've accepted it. As the world crumbles, Ada clings to Vincent, who explains that if the situation continues to proceed as is, then all of them are going to end up being swallowed completely by the time vortex once again. Just then, both Oz and Cheshire notice a black spot in the debris. Within the dark spot, The Core wraps herself around Alice in The Intention's warped body - laughing maniacally as she suggests to Alice that they're going to leave together so that they can be be together forever. As Oz and Cheshire reach out for Alice, the group is pulled deeper into the time vortex. Distressed, Lottie wonders what's happening - since even the Baskervilles can't escape the vacuum the time vortex has created - and if it has something to do with The Core of the Abyss' rampage. As the process continues, Oz realizes what's about to happen, as the entire group is torn apart by the powers of the time vortex. Oz realizes that the time vortex has become the weapon of their destruction, his body and consciousness being scattered throughout it - however in the darkness there is light, as Oz hears the song he'd become greatly acquainted with over time, "Lacie". The group then re-materializes, everyone now able to hear "Lacie" as they descend. As the group descends through Lacie's memories, Oswald realizes that "Lacie" is trying to guide them all to safety, though he's sure that such a thing cannot be possible. Granted, now without Cheshire's interference, they're finally descending toward the moment in time where Oswald wanted to reach in the first place. Since he's heading for a time prior to Lacie's first contact with The Core, Oswald justifies that the rest of Lacie's memories are being dragged along with him, and Lacie is no longer among them. As they continue to fall through Lacie's memories, Oswald finds himself staring at the memory of when he dropped Lacie into the Abyss. Oz arrives on the scene, realizing what he's looking at as the Chains of Condemnation wrap themselves around Lacie. A shocked Lacie then looks to and addresses Oswald's present incarnation, rather than the incarnation of said time. Oz is shocked that Lacie can see them with her Eyes of Ill Omen as they fall through time, as Lacie apologizes to Oswald. With the memory drifting past, Oswald finally understands that Lacie had been addressing his future self at the time of her judgement - however he can't fathom why Lacie was apologizing to him when it seemed as though she had everything figured out at the time, begging her to not smile at him with such a troubled look on her face as tears drip down his face. Finally, the group stops falling, with Levi explaining to Leo that they've finally arrived at the time which Oswald had originally intended on venturing to. Furthermore, Levi assumes that the memory in question may in fact have been before Oswald and Lacie were taken in as Baskervilles, when Oswald was "just Oswald", making this Oswald's final stop. Just then, Lacie as a child from the past approaches her brother's future self. Seeing Oswald gripping his sword as he stands up to deal with Lacie, Oz goes to intervene - only to stop himself when he notices that Oswald has stopped. Alone with Lacie, Oswald remembers when Leo insisted that he wasn't actually intending on killing Lacie and altering the past. Though his sword is raised against Lacie, as Oswald continues to look into Lacie's eyes, he finally drops the sword to the ground. Dropping to his knees, Oswald declares that this is as far as he'll go, because he can't kill Lacie. Calling out to her older brother's past incarnation, the young Oswald rushes to Lacie's side and advises her not to wander off, reminding her that he'd told her to wait nearby for him. The young Oswald revealed that he'd found a place for them to rest for the day - and so, after brushing snow off of Lacie's head, Oswald urged her to follow him. When the young Oswald guided Lacie away to their shelter, Lacie turned back to the future Oswald and waved happily. Satisfied, Oswald wavers before finally collapsing to the ground, worrying Lottie greatly. Within the Glens subconscious, Leo hurriedly asks Levi what's happening as Oswald's existence starts to come apart into numerous particles of light. As he surveys the situation, Levi reminds Leo that he's the true present Glen, not Oswald. As Oswald had forced himself past Leo and stolen his ownership over the body, this effect was to be expected - yet Oswald had still carried on, ignorant of what could happen as a result. Immediately, Oz and Lottie rush to Oswald's side, where Oswald clutches Lottie's arm to advise her of something in case his existence is destroyed. Even so, Lottie assures Oswald that they will definitely continue to support Leo, as servants of Glen Baskerville they won't let the world that Oswald had tried to save shatter completely. Lottie then reasons that they'll do so for a reason she kept secret between her and Oswald. Oswald's existence then faded into light, leaving Leo, as well as Jack, to look on from within their respective subconsciousnesses - crying as they do so. Oz then asks Jack if he's sad about what's happened to Oswald - and though he's unsure how he feels, Jack realizes that his eyes won't stop welling up with tears anyway. Looking up, Oz sees that Leo has regain his control of his body. Standing, Leo immediately rushes to Oz and punches him in the head - asking how Oz could even dare to impale him with B-Rabbit's chains. As Leo punches Oz yet again, Oz tries to explain that he wasn't the one who attacked Leo, Jack was. Even so, Leo carries on, pointing out how Break had severed his left arm - which only angers Oz as he retaliates against Leo for talking down on Break. Leo tries to justify his anger by reminding Oz that he plays piano - asking how he's supposed to play piano now. Oz states that he doesn't know what Leo is supposed to do now, because in the heat of the moment it was either him or Oswald - and he would've been killed instantly had he not taken action. With their argument seemingly without end, Lottie, Dug, Vincent and Ada simply look on, unsure of whether or not there's anything that they can do. Pulling each other closer, Oz reminds Leo that Alice might have been captured by The Core of the Abyss and he will need Leo's power in order to save her. Aware of the situation, Leo admits that he has no desire to change the past, and that if it's in order to stop the Chains of the World from being destroyed or to return the Abyss to its original state, he'll do anything it takes as Leo or as Glen; agreeing to help Oz's cause without haste. Elsewhere, Alice can hear "Lacie" - remembering it as a song someone had sung to her a long time ago. Soon, Alice is pulled from her slumber by Gilbert, finding that they're in a distorted version of Alice's room within The Tower, with The Core wrapped in Chains and some of The Intention's Dolls orbiting around her. Gilbert shoots a few of The Dolls, prompting Alice to question what's going on. Gilbert asks if Alice really doesn't remember how The Core brought them there during her rampage. The Dolls question how Gilbert managed to get there on his own, as he's supposedly not meant to be there. This makes The Core speak up about how The Intention's wish is simply Alice, and so she asks Alice to join with them and become one; justifying that doing so would finally cheer The Intention up. Enraged, Gilbert steps forward with Raven's power, ordering The Core to shut up - as Oz had left him in charge of Alice and so he won't allow The Core to just do as she pleases with Alice. Upon hearing Oz's name, The Doll's ask who Oz is as they worry that someone else may be coming. However, The Core assures The Doll's that no one else could possibly be coming, since they're inside a black storm raging within the Abyss, and to approach it would result in the scattering of their existences. Although The Doll's are overjoyed, Gilbert insists that Oz will come for Alice, asking Alice for support on the matter. Back in the past, Leo asks if Oz is being serious, which Oz confirms, prompting Lottie to elaborate that even though saying that you want to enter the lowest level of The Abyss is easy, jumping into the depths of The Abyss now with The Core rampaging as she is would be an act of suicide. The only way to avoid such a fate is when an infallible path forms that connects to the lowest level of The Abyss. Stepping forward, Oz reveals that such a path exists, as they can use the power of his Incuse (which is one rotation away from being complete) in order to open a path to The Intention of the Abyss. Characters *Alice *The Core of the Abyss *Gilbert Nightray}} Terms Gallery 101 - Alice Core.jpg|Alice in the clutches of The Core of the Abyss. 101 - Lacie Oswald.jpg|During her Ceremony of Judgement, Lacie sees the future incarnation of her brother. 101 - Lacie Oswald Oz Lottie Dug Vincent Ada.jpg|Oswald accepts that he cannot kill his little sister. 101 - Oswald.jpg|Oswald, happy to have seen his sister once again 101 - Oswald Levi Leo.jpg|Levi tells Leo that Oswald's soul has worn thin from overusing a body that was not his own. 101 - Levi.jpg|Sympathetic Levi 101 - Jack.jpg|Jack cries over Oswald's death, but is unsure as to how he really feels 101 - Leo Lottie.jpg|Leo's return. 101 Gilbert Alice Core Dolls.jpg|Gilbert and Alice trapped in the deepest regions of the Abyss with The Core. Trivia *Alternate title: - Last Stop - *What Lacie said to Oswald prior to being dropped into The Abyss is revealed in this chapter. *Oswald's soul disappears from the world as a result of abusing power that wasn't his own. Navigation Category:Manga Category:Pandora Hearts